Puncture repair material



Aug. 14, 1962 R. E. HUMPHREYS ETAL 3,049,164

PUNCTURE REPAIR MATERIAL Filed Nov. 9, 1961 HIM States Patent @ffice 3,049,164 PUNCTURE REPAIR MATERIAL Robert E. Humphreys and Ivan L. Marra, both of R.F.D. 7, Butler, Pa. Filed Nov. 9, 1961, Ser. No. 151,211 7 Claims. (Cl. 152-370) This invention relates to a puncture repair material, and more particularly to a material yfor sealing punctures, ssures or ruptures particularly in pneumatic tires, or other similar air filled apparatus, such as footballs, basketballs, resilient liquid containing tanks, or other articles within which it is desired to retain a fluid sub-ject to leakage through a fissure in the containing vessel, and comprises a continuation-impart of our co-pending application Serial No. 2,676, entitled 'Puncture Repair Material filed January 15, 1960, and now abandoned.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of an improved material particularly adapted for sealing punctures or similar fissures in tires or the like which will effectively and completely seal the aperture against any leakage of air from the interior of the tire.

A further important object of the invention is the provision of such material in the form of an elongated continuous strand of material which may be inserted into the puncture by means of a needle or the like, and which will be held in position by the normal resiliency of the tire wall, either with or without `the use of an adhesive bonding agent.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of such a strand which is comprised of two or more nonfibrous naturally impervious materials, one of which comprises a tubular embedded peripheral sleeve formed of a single plastic or similar monolament which continues throughout its entire endless length, and the other material constitutes a malleable nondibrous non-porous synthetic of a consistency which will allow its conformity to minute internal interstices `in a puncture hole, but of a density suicient to remain stable in the presence of such normally inherent forces applied to a tire as common momentum and centrifugal force.

A further specic object of the invention is the provision of such a material wherein the embedded peripheral non-fibrous sleeve is in the form of a loosely knitted sleeve, of sufficient pull strength as easily to permit the second or sealing material to penetrate into the interstices of the mesh and completely permeate and surround the sleeve.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of such a sleeve which is knitted in the form of a continuous single strand formed with self interlocking loops in such manner as to be longitudinally lstretchable and longitudinally and laterally compressible, each loop providing a relatively minute amount of slack permitting considerable elongation and the consequent lateral compression when the material is initially inserted into a puncture.

An additional and more specific object of the invention is the provision of such a material wherein the embedded peripheral sleeve is comprised of polypropylene and the outer coating and central core is comprised of a suitable polysulfide.

A further important object of the invention is the provision of such material wherein the two or more constituents are chemically inert relative to each other, as well as to the natural or synthetic rubber or fibers of the tire structure.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a material of this character which is extremely sturdy and durable, as well as wear-resistant, which is characterized `by relative longitudinal elasticity, which is malleable to an extent permitting it completely to lill a punc- Patented Aug. 14, 1962 ture including the most minute openings and orifices in the walls thereof, which will due to the normal compressive resiliency of the tire readily follow an irregular perforation in a tire wall, and which when .once positioned 1n operative relation, will remain in the puncture indefinitely regardless of normal stress or strain exerted thereon by virtue of its own inherent characteristics.

Still other objects reside in the arrangements of parts, the features of construction, the constituent materials, and the combinations of elements, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and described in conjunction with the accompanying drawing -wherein there is shown an illustrative embodiment of the instant inventive concept.

In the drawing:

FIGURE l is a side view partially in elevation and partially in section showing a tire wall having a puncture therein, lthe puncture repair material of Ithe instant invention being shown in the process of' insertion by means of a suitable repair tool, the latter, per se, forming no part of the instant invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged `fragmentary detail elevational view of one form of core forming a portion of the strand of `the instant invention prior to its impregnation with the additional elements forming the completed strand;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional View taken through a strand `of material constructed in accordance with the instant invention; and

1FIGURE. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially along the line 4 4 of CFIG. 2,V as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Having reference now to the drawing in detail, there is Igenerally indicated 'at 10 a fragment of the wall of a tire casing, or the like, which has been punctured, as at '11, to form a puncture opening or fissure. The puncture 11 has been filled with the material of the instant invention, generally indicated at 12, and completely sealing the same. A second puncture opening 13 is shown in the process of repair wherein a strand of the material 12 of the instant invention is passed through the eye 1'4 of an elongated relatively large needle 15. One form of apparatus suitable 4for containing and applying the material of the instant invention is generally indicated at 16, and includes a tubular container or receptacle 17, which has a block 18 of any desirable material seated in the open front end thereof. The needle 15 is suitably secured in the lblock 18, and projects forwardly therefrom. A suitable locking ring 19 threadedly engages on a threaded outer peripheral portion of the container 17, and is provided lwith a marginal flange 20 which serves to hold the yblock 18 in position. A longitudinally extending groove 21 extends along one side of the block 18, for the accommodation of the strand of material 12 which may be suitably coiled or rolled within lthe container 17, as shown at 22. Obviously, if desired, the strand 1 2 may be wound on a spool or may be coiled in any desired conventional manner.

The tool 16 is illustrative only as a convenient method for applying the material of the instant invention to a puncture, and comprises, per se, no part of the instant invention.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is disclosed an enlarged fragmentary view of the embedded peripheral knitted sleeve, generally indicated at 25, ofthe strand of material constructed in accordance with the instant invention. The sleeve 2.5 is constructed of a single monolament of material, which is looped, as indicated at 26, continuously to form a tube or sleeve of circular or similar cross-section,

the lower loops 26 being loosely interengaged with oppositely disposed loops 27 of a next successive row of loops, the end portion of the strand of the row of loops Z7 extending downwardly, as Iviewed in the figure, to. in tereugage with the next adjacent lower row of loops.-

The free or terminal, end ZSof the row of loops 2'6 extends downwardly from a next upper row of loops, which similarly interengage with the upper loops 29 of the row including the lower loops 26. The cross sectional arrangement ofthe sleeve is indicated in FIG. 3, wherein the interlocking arrangement is more clearly shown.

The material Aof sleeve 25,is comprised of a single monofilament of non-iibrousnaturally impervious synthetic plastic, which is normally inert chemically with such materials as rubber, other synthetics or plastics, and commonly/known metals and ceramics. One form of synthetic lament found to be particularly suitable for this purpose is the synthetic material polypropylene.. ln the arrangement shown, the sleeve, before its integration with the other constituent, to be more fully described hereinafter, is so arranged that the interengaging loops are loosely intertwined to `provide a space therebetween, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, so that a relatively high degree of longitudinal extension is permitted. By the same token, the loose knitting of the materialpermits even after integration a relatively large amount of lateral expansion upon compression, as well as contraction to its original form after longitudinal strain thereon is relieved.

The sleeve 25 may be formed in any desired convenient length, and after formation is completely integrated in any desired manner, as for example, the known friction extrusion process with its outer filling land covering material. This latter material, generally indicated at 30, is non-iibrous and naturally impervious, and is also chemically inert to both the polypropylene and the tire structure, as well as to all other materials with which it wouldV normally come in contact in repairing a puncture in a tire of other analogous articles. This material is preferably -a suitable polysulde characterized by relative malleability, suicient to permit the same to completely penetrate the openings or interstices between the openings of the loops of corerZS, forming a homogeneous solid permanently malleable mass interiorly thereof, as Well as completely coating the outer surface.

At the same time the material -is of suicient density to resist any disengagement from its contact with the embedded peripheral sleeve 25, as well as to resist stretching to the extentV of forming openings or perforations therein when the strand 12 is stretched, las by means of the needle V15 upon insertion into a puncture.

One polysulfide composition which has been found satisfactory forthe purposes of the instant invention comprises the polysulde polymer LP-Z Thiokol which is a polymer of bis (ethylene oxy) methane containing disulfide linkages with terminal Thiol (--SH) groups.

Obviously, other suitable polysuldes may be employed if found desirable.

A typical basic polysultde formulation is as follows:

Liquid polysulde polymer (as above) 100 Carbon black 30 Curing agent:

Lead dioxide 70 Stearic acid 30 the mixing ratio being 10 parts of base to one part of cur- 4 lis then inserted through the puncture, which has been previously treated, preferably with a suitable bonding adhesive, until a considerable length of the needle and its associated strand projects on the inner side of the tire. The needle is then withdrawn, forming a double loop of the'strand interiorly of the puncture, as shown -in the puncture 11 of FIG. 1, yand the ends of the strand cut close to the outer surface of the tire. The natural consistency of the material causes the same closely to adhere to the side walls of the puncture, and the malleability of the `constituent polysuliide 30 permits the Anormal compressive resiliency of the tire to laterally expand the polysulde to ll all of the minute interstices of the side Walls, thus eiectively and completely sealing the puncturc.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided a new and improved puncture sealing ma-.

terial for tires or the like which is characterized by an internal imesh sleeve which when exposed longitudinally to either tension or compression is so constructed that it remains in, or if distorted, returns to a cylindricallyY shaped mesh, which is completely integrated with a permanently malleable polysultide, the two components forming a mechanically interconnected, closely combined, completely impervious, solidmass whichis readily adaptable to a diversity of shapes of iissures or openings for completely sealing the same.

It will also be seen that there is herein provided amaterial which accomplishes all of the objects of this invention, and others, including 'many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive.

concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, itis to be understood that allmatter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

l. A puncture sealing material comprised of an elongated strand comprising a loosely knitted sleeve of noniibrous impervious material completely embedded in an inner and outer coating of non-iibrous impervious permanently malleable material.

2. A puncture sealing material comprised of an elongated strand comprising a loosely knitted tubular sleeve of synthetic plastic non-fibrous material completely embedded in an inner and outer coating of non-iibrous impervious permanently malleable plastic synthetic material.

3. A puncture sealing material comprised of an clon-- gated strand comprising a loosely knitted tubular sleeve of polypropylene completely embedded in an outer coating of permanently malleable polysuliide.

4. A puncture sea-ling material comprised of an elongated strand comprising a loosely knitted sleeve of nonbrous impervious material completely embedded in an inner and outer coating of non-fibrous impervious permanently malleable material, said sleeve comprising a single l knitted monoiilament with the loops being minutely spaced apart to permit longitudinal extension.

5. A puncture sealing material comprised of an elongated strand having a loosely knitted tubular sleeve of synthetic plastic non-fibrous material completely embedded in an outer coating of non-iibrous impervious permanently malleable plastic synthetic material, said sleeve comprising a single knitted monolament with the loops being minutely spaced apart to permit longitudinal extension.

. 6. A puncture sealing material comprised of an elongated strand having a loosely knitted tubular sleeve of polypropylene completely embedded in an outer coating of permanently malleable chemically inert non-iibrous polysuliide, said sleeve comprising a single knitted monolament with the loops being minutely spaced apart to permit longitudinal extension.

7. The combination, with a tire constituting an inherently resilient body portion having a puncture hole' 6 therethrough bounded by an irregularly shaped wall, of a References Cited in the le of this patent tire repair material comprising a tubular knitted sleeve UNITED STATES PATENTS Of stretchable non-fibrous material comprised of a single 2,401,956 Overbeke June 11 19,46 mOnOlament completely embedded in va permanently 2,733,304 Larkin Api- 16I 1957 malleable non-fibrous impervious synthetic polysulfide. 2,803,284 Mullen Aug. 20, 1957 

